ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc. (NYSE:ARR) Short Interest Update

ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc. (NYSE:ARR) saw a significant increase in short interest during the month of February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 12,292,349 shares, an increase of 21.4% from the January 29th total of 10,127,985 shares. Currently, 10.3% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 3,517,657 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 3.5 days. Based on an average daily volume of 3,517,657 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 3.5 days. Currently, 10.3% of the shares of the company are sold short.

ARMOUR Residential REIT Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE ARR opened at $17.86 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.54 and a beta of 1.44. ARMOUR Residential REIT has a one year low of $13.18 and a one year high of $19.31. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $18.04 and a 200 day simple moving average of $16.71.

ARMOUR Residential REIT (NYSE:ARR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.74 by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $236.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $62.34 million. ARMOUR Residential REIT had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 15.30%. On average, research analysts anticipate that ARMOUR Residential REIT will post 3.8 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ARMOUR Residential REIT Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 16th. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 16.1%. ARMOUR Residential REIT’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 105.49%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ARR has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Compass Point began coverage on ARMOUR Residential REIT in a research report on Monday, December 15th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $18.50 price target on the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of ARMOUR Residential REIT from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 21st. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of ARMOUR Residential REIT in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Zacks Research downgraded shares of ARMOUR Residential REIT from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Thursday, February 19th. Finally, JonesTrading decreased their price target on shares of ARMOUR Residential REIT from $20.50 to $20.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $18.17.

Insider Activity at ARMOUR Residential REIT

In other news, Director Robert C. Hain sold 6,833 shares of ARMOUR Residential REIT stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $18.06, for a total value of $123,403.98. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 1,010 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,240.60. The trade was a 87.12% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.23% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ARMOUR Residential REIT

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Quarry LP raised its holdings in shares of ARMOUR Residential REIT by 620.6% in the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,823 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 1,570 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in ARMOUR Residential REIT by 217.5% in the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,721 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 1,179 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC raised its stake in ARMOUR Residential REIT by 210.9% during the fourth quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,766 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 1,198 shares in the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP lifted its holdings in shares of ARMOUR Residential REIT by 40.7% during the fourth quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 2,369 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 685 shares during the period. Finally, Danske Bank A S acquired a new stake in shares of ARMOUR Residential REIT in the 3rd quarter valued at $42,000. 54.17% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About ARMOUR Residential REIT

ARMOUR Residential REIT (NYSE:ARR) is a mortgage real estate investment trust that was formed in 2008 to acquire and manage a portfolio of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS). The company’s investments are primarily agency-sponsored and agency-guaranteed RMBS issued by U.S. government-sponsored enterprises, along with credit risk transfer securities and select non-agency residential and multifamily RMBS. By focusing on high-quality mortgage assets, ARMOUR Residential REIT seeks to generate stable income and preserve capital through diversified exposure to the U.S.